


Water Is Taught By Thirst

by sevenall



Category: Bleach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 18:52:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6622303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevenall/pseuds/sevenall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neither of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Water Is Taught By Thirst

"Your hairstyle is impractical," Miyako-san, Lady Shiba, Third Seat of Thirteenth Division says. Reaching out a hand, she tugs at some strands of hair that have strayed from behind Rukia's ears. "See? Much too long. It will get in your eyes, when you least can afford it."

"Ma'am," and Rukia remembers to bow, "please forgive me. I will cut it."

She is immediately sorry, but to her relief, Miyako-san only laughs behind her hand.

"That would be a shame," she says with a smile. "It's very pretty."

She pulls a long pin out of her own top knot and offers it. The coils and braids on her head remain securely fastened.

"Lady Shiba," Rukia says, distressed. "ma'am, I…"

"I will help you," Miyako-san says. "Sit down."

Rukia obeys. Miyako-san's fingers move expertly through her hair, tucking and pinning. She's as skilled with hair as with anything. Rukia might cry, would cry, if not for the sound of footsteps and voices in the hallway. A soft cough, that is Ukitake-taichou. A laugh, that is Shiba-fukutaichou. Kaien, as he has told Rukia to call him, but she can't. She turns her head to their voices, both wishing and not that the two men would enter. It'd embarrass her, of course, to be caught primping in the middle of a workday, but perhaps there is some small errand she could run, some request she could fulfil.

"Don't move," Miyako-san tells her. "I'm not quite done yet." And in a softer voice: "You cannot have him, you know."

"Which one?" Rukia asks, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"Ah." Miyako-san's hands go still. "I suppose, either."

FIN


End file.
